AS
ENGLISH LITERATURE A ACTUAL 2025
PAPER MERGED WITH MARK SCHEME
Paper 1 Love through the ages: Shakespeare and poetry
Thursday 15 May 2025 Morning Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
• an AQA 12-page answer book.
Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
• Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7711/1.
• Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
• Answer one question from Section A and one question from Section B.
Information
• The maximum mark for this paper is 50.
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
• You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
• In your response you need to:
– analyse carefully the writers’ methods
– explore the contexts of the texts you are writing about – explore connections across the texts you
have studied – explore different interpretations of your texts.
, 2
IB/G/Jun25/G4005/V2 7711/1
Section A: Shakespeare
Answer one question from this section.
Either
0 1 Othello – William Shakespeare
Read the extract from Othello, provided below, and respond to the following:
• How does Shakespeare present aspects of love in this extract?
• Examine the view that, in this extract and elsewhere in the play, this is a play more about
hate than love.
[25 marks]
IAGO I say, put
money in thy purse. It cannot be that Desdemona should
long continue her love to the Moor – put money in thy
purse – nor he his to her. It was a violent commence-
ment, and thou shalt see an answerable sequestration –
put but money in thy purse. These Moors are change-
able in their wills – fill thy purse with money. The food
that to him now is as luscious as locusts shall be to him
shortly as acerbe as the coloquintida. She must change
for youth: when she is sated with his body she will find
the error of her choice. Therefore put money in thy
purse. If thou wilt needs damn thyself, do it a more
delicate way than drowning. Make all the money thou
canst. If sanctimony and a frail vow betwixt an erring
barbarian and a super-subtle Venetian be not too hard
for my wits and all the tribe of hell, thou shalt enjoy her –
therefore make money. A pox of drowning thyself! It is
clean out of the way. Seek thou rather to be hanged in
compassing thy joy than to be drowned and go with- out
her.
RODERIGO Wilt thou be fast to my hopes, if I depend on
the issue?
IAGO Thou art sure of me. Go make money. I have told
thee often, and I re-tell thee again and again, I hate the
Moor. My cause is hearted: thine hath no less reason.
Let us be conjunctive in our revenge against him. If
thou canst cuckold him, thou dost thyself a pleasure,
me a sport. There are many events in the womb of
time, which will be delivered. Traverse! Go, provide thy
money. We will have more of this tomorrow. Adieu.
IB/G/Jun25/7711/1
, 3
RODERIGO Where shall we meet i’th’morning?
IAGO At my lodging.
RODERIGO I’ll be with thee betimes.
IAGO Go to; farewell. Do you hear, Roderigo?
RODERIGO What say you?
IAGO No more of drowning, do you hear? RODERIGO
I am changed.
IAGO Go to; farewell. Put money enough in your purse.
RODERIGO I’ll sell all my land. Exit IAGO
Thus do I ever make my fool my purse:
For I mine own gained knowledge should profane
If I would time expend with such a snipe
But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor,
And it is thought abroad that ’twixt my sheets
He’s done my office. I know not if’t be true But
I, for mere suspicion in that kind,
Will do as if for surety. He holds me well:
The better shall my purpose work on him.
Cassio’s a proper man: let me see now; To
get his place and to plume up my will In
double knavery. How? How? Let’s see.
After some time, to abuse Othello’s ear
That he is too familiar with his wife;
He hath a person and a smooth dispose
To be suspected, framed to make women false. The
Moor is of a free and open nature,
That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,
And will as tenderly be led by th’nose As asses
are.
I have’t. It is engendered. Hell and night
Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light.
Exit
(Act 1, Scene 3)
Turn over for the next question
0 2 The Taming of the Shrew – William Shakespeare
Turn over ►
IB/G/Jun25/7711/1
, 4
Read the extract from The Taming of the Shrew, provided below, and respond to the
following:
• How does Shakespeare present aspects of love in this extract?
• Examine the view that, in this extract and elsewhere in the play, Petruchio is playing roles
in order to win Katherina’s love.
[25 marks]
Enter Petruchio and Katherina
PETRUCHIO
Where be these knaves? What, no man at door To
hold my stirrup nor to take my horse?
Where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Philip?
ALL SERVINGMEN Here, here sir, here sir. PETRUCHIO
Here sir, here sir, here sir, here sir!
You logger-headed and unpolished grooms!
What, no attendance? No regard? No duty?
Where is the foolish knave I sent before?
GRUMIO
Here sir, as foolish as I was before.
PETRUCHIO
You peasant swain, you whoreson malt-horse drudge!
Did I not bid thee meet me in the park
And bring along these rascal knaves with thee?
GRUMIO
Nathaniel’s coat, sir, was not fully made,
And Gabriel’s pumps were all unpinked i’th’heel.
There was no link to colour Peter’s hat,
And Walter’s dagger was not come from sheathing. There
were none fine but Adam, Rafe, and Gregory – The rest
were ragged, old, and beggarly.
Yet, as they are, here are they come to meet you.
PETRUCHIO
Go, rascals, go and fetch my supper in.
Exeunt Servingmen
He sings
Where is the life that late I led?
Where are those –
Sit down, Kate, and welcome. Food, food, food, food! Enter
Servants with supper
Why, when, I say? Nay, good sweet Kate, be merry.
Off with my boots, you rogues! You villains, when?
He sings
It was the friar of orders grey,
As he forth walkèd on his way –
Out, you rogue! You pluck my foot awry. He
strikes the Servant
Take that, and mend the plucking off the other. Be
merry, Kate. Some water here. What ho!
Enter one with water
Where’s my spaniel Troilus? Sirrah, get you hence, And
bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither.
IB/G/Jun25/7711/1
ENGLISH LITERATURE A ACTUAL 2025
PAPER MERGED WITH MARK SCHEME
Paper 1 Love through the ages: Shakespeare and poetry
Thursday 15 May 2025 Morning Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
• an AQA 12-page answer book.
Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
• Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7711/1.
• Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
• Answer one question from Section A and one question from Section B.
Information
• The maximum mark for this paper is 50.
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
• You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
• In your response you need to:
– analyse carefully the writers’ methods
– explore the contexts of the texts you are writing about – explore connections across the texts you
have studied – explore different interpretations of your texts.
, 2
IB/G/Jun25/G4005/V2 7711/1
Section A: Shakespeare
Answer one question from this section.
Either
0 1 Othello – William Shakespeare
Read the extract from Othello, provided below, and respond to the following:
• How does Shakespeare present aspects of love in this extract?
• Examine the view that, in this extract and elsewhere in the play, this is a play more about
hate than love.
[25 marks]
IAGO I say, put
money in thy purse. It cannot be that Desdemona should
long continue her love to the Moor – put money in thy
purse – nor he his to her. It was a violent commence-
ment, and thou shalt see an answerable sequestration –
put but money in thy purse. These Moors are change-
able in their wills – fill thy purse with money. The food
that to him now is as luscious as locusts shall be to him
shortly as acerbe as the coloquintida. She must change
for youth: when she is sated with his body she will find
the error of her choice. Therefore put money in thy
purse. If thou wilt needs damn thyself, do it a more
delicate way than drowning. Make all the money thou
canst. If sanctimony and a frail vow betwixt an erring
barbarian and a super-subtle Venetian be not too hard
for my wits and all the tribe of hell, thou shalt enjoy her –
therefore make money. A pox of drowning thyself! It is
clean out of the way. Seek thou rather to be hanged in
compassing thy joy than to be drowned and go with- out
her.
RODERIGO Wilt thou be fast to my hopes, if I depend on
the issue?
IAGO Thou art sure of me. Go make money. I have told
thee often, and I re-tell thee again and again, I hate the
Moor. My cause is hearted: thine hath no less reason.
Let us be conjunctive in our revenge against him. If
thou canst cuckold him, thou dost thyself a pleasure,
me a sport. There are many events in the womb of
time, which will be delivered. Traverse! Go, provide thy
money. We will have more of this tomorrow. Adieu.
IB/G/Jun25/7711/1
, 3
RODERIGO Where shall we meet i’th’morning?
IAGO At my lodging.
RODERIGO I’ll be with thee betimes.
IAGO Go to; farewell. Do you hear, Roderigo?
RODERIGO What say you?
IAGO No more of drowning, do you hear? RODERIGO
I am changed.
IAGO Go to; farewell. Put money enough in your purse.
RODERIGO I’ll sell all my land. Exit IAGO
Thus do I ever make my fool my purse:
For I mine own gained knowledge should profane
If I would time expend with such a snipe
But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor,
And it is thought abroad that ’twixt my sheets
He’s done my office. I know not if’t be true But
I, for mere suspicion in that kind,
Will do as if for surety. He holds me well:
The better shall my purpose work on him.
Cassio’s a proper man: let me see now; To
get his place and to plume up my will In
double knavery. How? How? Let’s see.
After some time, to abuse Othello’s ear
That he is too familiar with his wife;
He hath a person and a smooth dispose
To be suspected, framed to make women false. The
Moor is of a free and open nature,
That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,
And will as tenderly be led by th’nose As asses
are.
I have’t. It is engendered. Hell and night
Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light.
Exit
(Act 1, Scene 3)
Turn over for the next question
0 2 The Taming of the Shrew – William Shakespeare
Turn over ►
IB/G/Jun25/7711/1
, 4
Read the extract from The Taming of the Shrew, provided below, and respond to the
following:
• How does Shakespeare present aspects of love in this extract?
• Examine the view that, in this extract and elsewhere in the play, Petruchio is playing roles
in order to win Katherina’s love.
[25 marks]
Enter Petruchio and Katherina
PETRUCHIO
Where be these knaves? What, no man at door To
hold my stirrup nor to take my horse?
Where is Nathaniel, Gregory, Philip?
ALL SERVINGMEN Here, here sir, here sir. PETRUCHIO
Here sir, here sir, here sir, here sir!
You logger-headed and unpolished grooms!
What, no attendance? No regard? No duty?
Where is the foolish knave I sent before?
GRUMIO
Here sir, as foolish as I was before.
PETRUCHIO
You peasant swain, you whoreson malt-horse drudge!
Did I not bid thee meet me in the park
And bring along these rascal knaves with thee?
GRUMIO
Nathaniel’s coat, sir, was not fully made,
And Gabriel’s pumps were all unpinked i’th’heel.
There was no link to colour Peter’s hat,
And Walter’s dagger was not come from sheathing. There
were none fine but Adam, Rafe, and Gregory – The rest
were ragged, old, and beggarly.
Yet, as they are, here are they come to meet you.
PETRUCHIO
Go, rascals, go and fetch my supper in.
Exeunt Servingmen
He sings
Where is the life that late I led?
Where are those –
Sit down, Kate, and welcome. Food, food, food, food! Enter
Servants with supper
Why, when, I say? Nay, good sweet Kate, be merry.
Off with my boots, you rogues! You villains, when?
He sings
It was the friar of orders grey,
As he forth walkèd on his way –
Out, you rogue! You pluck my foot awry. He
strikes the Servant
Take that, and mend the plucking off the other. Be
merry, Kate. Some water here. What ho!
Enter one with water
Where’s my spaniel Troilus? Sirrah, get you hence, And
bid my cousin Ferdinand come hither.
IB/G/Jun25/7711/1
